


Broken Code

by Corvidology



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Chocolate Box Exchange 2021, Extended scene from S02E13: Dead Reckoning, First Kiss, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-13 10:40:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29277096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corvidology/pseuds/Corvidology
Summary: "What are you going to do? Shoot me?" Finch had that exasperated look he saved only for John.
Relationships: Harold Finch/John Reese
Comments: 12
Kudos: 60
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 6





	Broken Code

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dorinda](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dorinda/gifts).



"What are you going to do? Shoot me?" Finch had that exasperated look he saved only for John. 

"This is my past catching up with me." He'd known he'd never outrun it. "It doesn't concern you." It couldn't. He wanted Harold safe in another borough, well away from the fallout of his own disastrous choices. 

"But this moment does. I'm not leaving you here, John. So can we please stop wasting time?"

Wasting time. In the beginning, he'd accepted Finch's offer because he'd been committing suicide the slow way, one bottle at a time, and here was the chance to move things along and possibly save a few innocents along the way. That was back when he still thought he was dealing with a bored rich man playing at being Batman. 

Finch had won him over with his integrity, offering him friendship the likes of which he'd never experienced before. With it had come honesty, compassion and kindness, not because Finch was trying to manipulate him, just because it was the right thing to do. 

"I'm pretty sure I'd be dead already if you hadn't found me."

"It's hard to say."

"Not really."

Harold had made his life worth living. His only feelings when Snow had turned up in the parking structure with Carter weren't about her betrayal, he knew how manipulative Snow could be, or even the certainty he was going to die there, Snow never travelled alone, but intense relief Finch wasn't with him. Survival instinct alone had got him up off the floor after being shot and into the stairwell. He knew if he lived Snow would make sure what was left of it wasn't worth living. There was only one thing he wanted to do before death or Snow caught up to him. He hit his ear piece. 

_I love you, Harold._ He staggered and almost fell down the stairs as that inconvenient truth hit him head on. 

"I wanted to say thank you, Harold, for giving me a second chance." Harold shouldn't have to be burdened by his feelings, not when he already knew the guilt Finch would be struggling with once Snow disposed of him. 

"It's not over, John. I'm close. Just get to the ground floor."

It took a lot of guts to do the right thing, no matter what, but that was part of why he loved Harold. "No, you stay away. Don't even risk it."

He'd never told Harold what he'd finally admitted to himself in that dank stairwell but when he'd staggered out of that door and into Harold's arms he could have died happy right there, not alone in some god forsaken place as he'd always assumed it would be, but in the arms of the man he loved. 

After Dr. Madani patched him up he had plenty of time during recovery to consider telling Harold how he felt. Sometimes he thought he might just blurt it out but with John's track record he couldn't risk it. Instead, he did what he always did and pushed his feelings so far down they'd never get loose again. Hearing Finch high on Ecstasy wistfully calling him Nathan and then meeting Grace, who was just as beautiful on the inside, just cemented his decision as the right one. His love would just contaminate Finch. 

Then Root had taken Finch and he'd been forced yet again to face the truth. Even if Finch deserved so much more than him, and he did, he'd let the world burn if it meant getting Harold back. 

"Pick a winner, Harold." 

Harold had. He'd picked Grace and Reese couldn't compete on any level. He should tell Harold again to leave while there was still time but he'd had a taste of not dying alone and he couldn't do it. 

It was mere seconds as Harold picked one last code to try but it felt like eons as he looked at that beloved face and cursed himself again for his cowardice. 

But Harold picked the right code. All he had to do now was get himself under control again and get Harold off the roof before the cops started swarming the building. 

Harold put his hand on John's shoulder and smiled up at him. "You know I wouldn't have come up on this roof for just anyone."

And remarkably that was a lie. Finch would have done his best to save anyone, no matter what the cost to him.

He cupped Harold's face, watching his smile falter as he leaned down. The first barest touch of lips was perfect because he'd wanted to kiss him for so long. He pulled back a little, looking for any sort of encouragement, finding it as Harold's eyes closed. The second kiss started just as gently but Harold opened easily under him and he was lost, warmth coursing through him. He pulled Harold in closer, arms wrapping tightly across his back as he kept kissing him. Only Harold wasn't kissing back anymore, pushing against his arms, and he had to let him go. 

"I'm sorry, Finch. I must have got carried away—"

"Don't!" Finch ran his fingers across his lips. "That didn't feel like gratitude."

Harold had given him the perfect out. All he had to do was take it. "It wasn't."

"Good." Finch took his hand. "I wasn't up here on the roof out of a sense of altruism."

John couldn't stop grinning. Harold started towing him back towards the stairwell. 

"Where are we going?"

"We're getting off this roof before you tempt me anymore to just stay put. Before anyone gets too curious, finds you still in this vest and starts asking questions. Then we're going home."

"Home?"

"My home. Where we can get you out of this damn vest and try this again when there aren't explosives cutting into my chest distracting me."

He'd kept his feelings for Harold bottled up for two years, virtually a lifetime in John's line of work, and he planned to be distracting as hell for whatever time they had left.


End file.
